Georgia Gold Rusher at Six Flags Over Georgia — the world’s first Intamin Ultra Surf Coaster — opens to the public on March 15, 2025. Coaster101’s Andrew Stilwell and John Stevenson had the opportunity to preview the forward- and backward-launching, spinning coaster and have thoughts to share.
Georgia Gold Rusher stands 144 feet tall, although it’s built into the ground, so it doesn’t appear quite that tall. It’s located on the site of the former Splashwater Falls shoot-the-chutes ride, which closed in 2018. It reaches a top speed of 60 mph during the forward and backward launches. A small airtime hill stands between the coaster’s two vertical spikes. The ride vehicle (shaped like a surfboard — more on that below) seats 20 riders in two 10-seat rings.
Georgia Gold Rusher History
Intamin introduced the Ultra Surf coaster concept in July 2021. The model features two rings of rotating seats on a vehicle resembling a surfboard. Using linear synchronous motors (LSMs), the multi-launch Ultra Surf model would launch riders forward and backward.
The coaster was initially purchased by a Vietnamese theme park project which was ultimately canceled. The coaster was listed for sale and was purchased by Six Flags. The coaster was announced in August 2023 and was slated to debut in 2024.
Georgia Surfer (now Georgia Gold Rusher) under construction in August 2024.
The coaster was originally named “Georgia Surfer,” the name generated from a public naming contest.
However, construction progressed very slowly. We visited the park in August 2024 and observed that the coaster was nowhere near ready to open. Days after our visit, Six Flags Over Georgia announced the coaster would be delayed until 2025.
With that delay came a new name, theme and color scheme. The park announced in January 2025 that the coaster would be named Georgia Gold Rusher.
Georgia Gold Rusher Backstory
With the new name and theme came a backstory that fits well within the mining-themed Lickskillet area of the park. The coaster’s page on the Six Flags Over Georgia website describes the story of William “Willy” Gibson, a young entrepreneur who invented a contraption to “avoid the hard work of manual labor to mine gold” — a steam-powered hydraulic excavator that slugged forward and backward through a huge water reservoir, twisting and turning the dirt below with the hopes of loosening valuable gold from the soil.
Non-miners were allowed to ride as well, which is where we come in:
Sometimes when townspeople needed a break from the hot Georgia sun, Gibson let them cool off with a thrilling spin on the machine. Riders enjoyed [the] refreshing mist of water as the mining sled careened up and down the U-shaped track.
What were your initial reactions after riding Georgia Gold Rusher?
John: This coaster packs a punch! The launches, especially considering the relatively short launch track, are forceful, as is the nice pop of airtime hill in between. It’s a fun ride from start to finish, and it fills the void of a previously launch coaster-less Six Flags Over Georgia. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it as much as I did.
Andrew: I was honestly pretty surprised how “fun” the coaster was. I loved the swing launches, and pops of airtime at the top of the two “spikes” and over the “bunny hop” just outside of the station. Georgia Gold Rusher is a great example that a coaster doesn’t need to be the tallest or fastest in order to create a great experience – and I left my first ride with a smile on my face. In Six Flags Over Georgia’s coaster lineup, it’s not as extreme as something like Batman: The Ride, Georgia Scorcher, or Twisted Cyclone – but is a definite step up in thrills from something like the Dahlonega Mine Train or Joker’s Funhouse Coaster.
What surprised you most about the coaster?
John: I was surprised by how close the vehicle came to the top of each spike. When I was pointed toward the top of the vehicle, I couldn’t see the track as the tip of the vehicle blocked it from sight. That was certainly an unnerving part of the ride experience I was not anticipating.
Andrew: I agree with John – the “hydraulic excavator” went very high up on both spikes – though I did notice magnetic brakes at the top when ascending – which could put the nerves at ease. I think I was most surprised at the uniqueness of experience that each ride provided – there are multiple factors at play with the ride experience – depending on where you sit – and the weight distribution in the 10-seat rotating platforms. I truly feel like no two rides will be the same for this reason.
Does Georgia Gold Rusher spin a lot?
John: My first ride was completely spin-free. My ring rotated slightly on the second ride, but calling it “spinning” would be a stretch. As someone who doesn’t particularly enjoy spinning — certainly not intense spinning — I was not upset by the lack of spinning. But I know many people do like the spinning sensation, so I understand the confusion. For their sake, I hope the park is able to make adjustments to allow it to spin more. Otherwise, we’ll have to be strategic with our weight distribution.
Andrew: I might be trying to put the “spin” on this debate with a non-answer, but I feel like “rotates” would be a better description than “spins”. It was a gentle rotation, similar to a giant frisbee flat ride. A lot of people were complaining online because the videos being posted showed little to no spinning, but there’s probably a separate mid-to-high-level physics discussion as to why that was the case – one that I’m not qualified to speak on.
As my equilibrium continues to deteriorate as I age into my mid-30’s, I’m personally glad there wasn’t a lot of spinning – it made the attraction a lot more re-rideable.
Courtesy of Six Flags Over Georgia
Do you get wet on Georgia Gold Rusher?
John: I did not. Had it been a breezy day, I perhaps might have felt some mist. This is not a water coaster but rather a coaster with water effects in close proximity.
Andrew: The key differences in this model compared to a coaster like Aquaman: Power Wave at Six Flags Over Texas is that there is not a “Splash Down” pool. The water effects that trigger when the train flies by are going to create a great visual for those watching and make for pretty action shots, but unless there’s a strong wind, riders will remain dry – a win for all involved if you ask me.
Courtesy of Six Flags Over Georgiaxx
What do you think of the theming?
John: I refer to Georgia Gold Rusher’s rename as a “pre-opening glow up.” Even though the coaster was still very much under construction when I saw it last year, the new color scheme alone is a huge improvement over the original bright blue and orange. It looks like it fits in an area themed to the 1800s. It’s rustic. It will fade nicely. Now the theming? While it isn’t elaborate — mostly props limited to the station — it demonstrates a level of attention to detail that has not been the norm at a Six Flags park for quite some time. If this is the new Six Flags post-merger, I am all for it.
Andrew: There was a lot of discussion about retheming/renaming the attraction to Georgia Gold Rusher before it had even given its first rides as Georgia Surfer – and why Six Flags would do that. With the recent merger, I think there is precedent by legacy Cedar Fair to give new coasters a backstory and theme in recent years – which has appeared to begin to translate over to legacy Six Flags. I think by creating a backstory – adding some mining theming to the queue and surrounding area while tying it into the Lickskillet area of the park and nearby Dahlonega Mine Train – rather than giving it a somewhat “generic” (but nominated by a SFOG guest) name – it creates a better overall experience for the attraction.
Is Georgia Gold Rusher family-friendly?
John: I wouldn’t say it’s a good coaster for every member of the family, but I see it as a good stepping-stone coaster. Regarding intensity, I’d rank it along the lines of Dare Devil Dive. It’s smooth and exhilarating but not necessarily terrifying. Plus, it’s nice that the entire coaster is very visible, so uncertain potential riders can watch it in action before getting in line.
Andrew: There’s been a bit of a family coaster renaissance in the United States over the past few years as coasters with multi-generational appeal are opening across the country. With a height requirement of 52″, Georgia Gold Rusher falls just outside of what would traditionally be called a “family coaster” – but I think this is still going to be a great attraction for all ages who hit that 4’4″ height mark. In a park like Six Flags Over Georgia where most of the coasters (save for Joker Fun House and Dahlongega Mine Train) are considered high-thrill attractions with high speeds and inversions – Gold Rusher provides a great “gap” coaster for the park.
Closing Thoughts
John: Georgia Gold Rusher is an excellent addition to Six Flags Over Georgia’s coaster lineup. It’s fun to ride and watch. It’s re-rideable. It’s smooth. It’s intense for its size. It’s the park’s only launched coaster — the first since Viper, the Schwarzkopf shuttle loop coaster, closed in 2001. It is far better than the abandoned, dilapidated Splashwater Falls that previously occupied the space. Although I think Six Flags Over Georgia desperately needs a large marquee coaster, this will hold us over until then.
Andrew: Is Georgia Gold Rusher an “-est” (tallest, fastest, longest) coaster? No. Is it likely to be misunderstood by a significant portion of the population why the coaster doesn’t “spin” or why riders don’t get wet? Probably. But, is this a great addition for Six Flags Over Georgia? Absolutely.
However, it is a world’s first, and I think is a perfect “big” coaster addition for a park whose last “big” coaster addition was Twisted Cyclone in 2018. The ride is a ton of fun, fits the space in which it resides perfectly, and with the added theming and backstory, is a step in the right direction for Six Flags Over Georgia. I think visitors to the park are going to love this new addition – some might even call it Au-some. (Au is the chemical symbol for gold – that’s as far as my science knowledge goes.)
Take a ride with Andrew and John on Georgia Gold Rusher below!
We’d like to send a special thanks to Six Flags Over Georgia for inviting us to this special event.
To learn more about Georgia Gold Rusher, visit the Six Flags Over Georgia website.
Have you ridden Georgia Gold Rusher yet? Let us know what you thought of Six Flags Over Georgia’s newest coaster in the comments section below.
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